Spring-seat of chairs



N. PETERS. P HOTO-LUNDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. DC.

NITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

CHAS. ROBINSON, OF CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING-SEAT 0F CHAIRS, soFAs, aw.

Specicaton of Letters Patent 1\T o. 19,582, dated March 9', 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES ROBINSON, of Cambridgeport, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Chairs, Sofas, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l, being a plan ofthe bottom of a chair, provided with my improvement; Fig. 2, a longitudinal, vertical section thereof in the plane indicated by the line m Fig. l, showing the position of the parts when the seat is unoccupied; Fig. 3, asimilar section thereof, in the same plane, showing the position of the parts when the chair bottom is pressed upon. n

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

I make use of any ordinary frame A, surrounding an interior space. In this space are situated two supporting-blocks, or plates, B, B, nearly filling it, as represented in the drawings. The outer, `side edges of the supportingblocks are hinged to the frame A, by means of hinges E, E, which may be made elastic, or non-elastic, as desired. I prefer the elastic hinges, and generally use, for this purpose, strips of shirred cloth, as shown in the drawings. The inner, adjacent edges of the support-ingblocks nearly meet in the middle of the space; and near said edges, from the under side of the blocks, arms, or projections, C, C, respectively extend downward as far as may be required, or convenience will allow. The lower ends of these arms are connected by a band, or bands, D, of any elastic material, such as shirred cloth, as represented,.and of suiicient strength to suitably support the v pressure to which the chair seat may be sub,

jected. The opposite ends of the elastic band, or bands, may be fastened to the respective arms in any convenient manner, that represented in the drawings, being by means of plates a, a, fitted over the ends of the arms, covering the elastic band, or bands, and secured by nails, or screws, passing through said plates and band, or bands. A cushion G, is fitted on the top of the frame A, and supporting-blocks B, B, in the ordinary manner of upholstering.

When the seat of the chair is unoccupied the elasticity of the band, or bands, D, draws the a'rms C, C, toward each other and consequently keeps the inner edges of the supporting-blocks B, B, raised firmly against the middle of the cushion, as represented in Fig. 2. But if pressure is applied on the top of the chair seat, the inner, adjacent edges of the supporting-blocks are forced downward, and the elastic band, or bands, stretched, as indicated in Fig; 3. The pressure being again removed, the supportingblocks B, B, again press upward against the cushion, especially in the middle thereof, so as to prevent its attening or sinking, in the middle, as other cushions are ,liable to do. This arrangement'also adds elasticity to the cushion itself.

The above described improvement is equally applicable' to sofas, lounges, and other similar articles of furniture, the plan being only modified so far as to adapt it to the peculiar character of each different kind of article.

What I claim as my invention and desire` to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The hinged supporting-blocks B, B, and their projecting arms C, C, connected by a band, or bands, D, arranged and operating substantially as, and for the purpose herein specified. e

The above specification of my improvement in the construction of chairs, sofas, &c., signed by me this eighteenth day of January, 1858.

CHARLES ROBINSON. 

